Carol Of The Bells (Sweet Silver Bells)
by woodrosegirl
Summary: A collection of short stories (one-shots) focused on Rufus/Lily around Christmas time. Mixture of romance, and holiday fluff.
1. Moonlight & Mistletoe

**It's Christmas! And I bring you Rufus and Lily Christmas fic! I plan to write 5 of these short stories, time allowing and if there is an audience. Will be a bit more "fluffier" than my usual fare. Please review if you like, or if you don't.**

 **Moonlight & Mistletoe - 22nd December 1982.**

Rufus sat on the floor, his guitar on his lap, with sheet music and half finished song lyrics scattered haphazardly around him.

"Snow..glow..throw?" He groaned. "I suck at this!"

"Suck at what?"

He looked up to see the face of Tommy, Lincoln Hawk's drummer peering at him by the door, an amused look on his face. He spotted the guitar and the sheets littered about on the floor.

"Oh…more love songs for Lily?" he said.

"No!" Rufus said, defensibly.

"Oh really?" Tommy arched an eyebrow and looked down at the hastily scribbled notes. "Then 'I want to kiss you under the mistletoe, your face all aglow' is about who, me?" he said, teasingly. Rufus quickly snatched the paper off the floor that Tommy was reading off of, preventing him from reading further.

"It's a work in progress" he mumbled, feeling embarrassed.

Tommy laughed.

"Hey man, there's no need to be embarrassed, it's cute! And that one you wrote, Rosewood, that's a good song. If Lily is your muse, then run with it! Not to mention, it's very romantic."

Rufus uncrumpled the paper.

"Maybe I'll keep going then."

"You should, and that brings me to why I'm here."

"I was wondering that, I know you didn't just come over here to call me romantic" Rufus teased back.

"Ha ha, well whilst Lily might melt at your lyrics of love, I do not. We've been offered a gig, in a really hip and up and coming bar, there's just one catch."

Rufus arched an eyebrow.

"I am not playing in the nude."

Tommy made a face.

"Ewww, and no. They want us to play Christmas songs, we can throw in a few of our own, but it has to be primarily Christmas songs."

Rufus thought for a moment.

"That sounds okay; we could certainly do Christmas songs with a Lincoln Hawk rock twist!"

He strummed a few chords to emphasize his point. Tommy gave him the thumbs up.

"Aces! Gig's next week, we just need to get some extra practice in. Usual place at 7, for the next few days?"

"Aces!" Rufus said, sticking his thumb up in a jovial mockery of Tommy.

"Okay then lover boy, I'll leave you to your Christmas love song. Seriously though, if you can finish it in a few days, we can debut it during this gig. Anyway, where are you guys at? You guys official yet?" Rufus sighed and put his guitar down.

"I think, she wants us to be." He corrected himself. "I _know_ she wants us to be, but she has a lot of pressure from her family so…."

He trailed off, suddenly feeling awkward.

"So they're not big fans of the flannel then?" Tommy said, trying to alleviate the slight tension that suddenly seemed to hang in the air.

"Yeah, something like that."

"Okay bud, I gotta go, but seriously, get that song finished, she'll melt 'like snow, all aglow!'"

Rufus laughed as Tommy left, before picking up his guitar again and strumming a few chords. He thought of Lily, and conjured up the image of her in his mind's eye, remembering how they would share kisses after his gigs, the only light illuminating them coming from the dim lights of his van and the moonlight. That gave him a sudden flash of inspiration and he hastily began writing down the music and lyrics that had started playing in his head.

" _Jingle Bells…..Jingle Bells…Jingle all the waaaaaaaaaay!"_

Lily stood in the audience, her trusty camera slung around her neck as she watched Lincoln Hawk, and in particular, her "on again, off again" boyfriend sing lead vocals and play guitar on a rock version of "Jingle Bells" It certainly was different, as had most of the show, but she had enjoyed their "rock-out" versions of holiday classics, and she had laughed when she saw him appear on stage, decked out in a Santa hat, complete with fake beard, and half of his body and guitar swathed in gold and silver tinsel. As 'Jingle Bells' came to an end, she watched as Rufus swapped his electric guitar for an acoustic one; and take to the microphone.

"Hope you're all enjoying our special Christmas show!" He paused for a moment as the crowd cheered. "Now, we're going to play our final song. It's a Christmas song that I wrote, for a certain girl in my life, who I hope has a lovely Christmas."

Lily felt her cheeks redden as he looked at her and began to sing.

" _Magic is the moonlight  
On this lover's dream night  
As I see the moonlight  
Shining in your eyes_

 _Living in the splendour  
Of your kiss so tender  
Makes my heart surrender  
To your love divine"_

He played a short solo before the chorus.

" _I love the way you look in the snow,_

 _Your face all aglow._

 _We kiss in the moonlight, and under the mistletoe….Moonlight and Mistletoe…"_

As he sung directly to her, Lily realised that no one in her life had ever looked at her the way that Rufus did. It made her feel uniquely special, loved, and in that moment she found herself falling completely in love with him. As the song finished, he blew a kiss her way, and she realised that she had been so caught up in the moment she had forgotten to take any photos of him playing the final song. Her song. She wished she had, she wanted to capture the way that he had looked at her forever. As the audience filtered out, she went to the bar, hoping that a few swift drinks would help to quell the emotions that were bubbling up inside of her. Gulping down two vodka's she checked the time before ordering a third. She knew it took Rufus about half an hour to sort out his equipment, and that instead of hanging out and having a few beers with the band he'd meet her by his van, so they could sneak a few moments alone together. Usually in the moonlight, she thought fondly, and she touched her necklace, a faux gold "L" on a chain that Rufus had bought her from a flea market a few months ago. She only wore it openly when she was with him; she kept it hidden under a top when she was around her parents. She knew how they viewed Rufus, and she knew they would view the necklace in the same way. He wasn't part of the world they lived in, and they would disregard the necklace as 'cheap tat' which is how they thought of Rufus.

Pushing all thoughts of her parents out of her mind she quickly finished a third drink and made her way out to find Rufus. As she walked out into the cold, fresh air she took a couple of deep breaths, preparing herself for what she wanted to tell him.

"Great show man!"

"Yeah you too!"

"See you later dude!"

"Bye guys!"

Rufus waved his goodbyes to his band mates, leaving them to demolish off a crate a beer. He pulled all this gear outside and began to load up his van, noting the cold air and the inky blackness of the clear sky. As he hauled his amps and guitars into the van he heard the familiar 'clip-clop' of Lily's heels.

"Hey you." He said, smiling.

"Hey Santa." She said, smiling back at him. He looked at her, slightly confused. "The hat…you're still wearing the hat." He laughed, and went to take it off. "No" she said, moving close to him and placing her arms around his waist. "Leave it on, it's cute." "Really?"

"She nodded. "Yeah, very cute." He dipped his head down and kissed her deeply. "Mmmm" she hummed, against his lips. He slid his tongue gently into her mouth, caressing her bottom lip. She tightened the hold she had around his waist, wanting to be as close to him as she could be. As they broke apart she looked up at him. "So…I really liked that last song" she said, suddenly feeling shy.

"Did you?" he said, raising an eyebrow. "I think the girl I wrote it for liked it more" She soft punched him in his shoulder.

"Very amusing."

He leaned down and kissed her again, relishing the way she felt against him. God, she drove him crazy. She softly moaned against him before breaking away.

"I can't stay, I'm sorry."

He nodded. He knew, and didn't push her further.

"So….do you have any mistletoe?" she said.

"Any excuse to kiss me again huh?"

"Pretty much."

He leaned into the van. "I don't have any mistletoe, so this will have to do." She laughed as he pulled a sprig of gold tinsel out and held it above their heads.

"You're so cheesy!"

"I know you love it really."

She looked up sharply at his words, and cuddled into his chest for a few seconds before breaking away and looking back up at him.

"That's the thing….I do. I love you. I've….I've never felt this way before."

He wrapped his arms back around her and gazed into her eyes.

"Lil…. I love you too. I don't write cheesy Christmas songs for just anyone you know." She rolled her eyes at him.

"I was being serious."

"And so am I. I love you too."

He tucked the tinsel into one of her pockets.

"To remember me by….you know, over Christmas."

"I don't want to be with my family, I want to be with you." It was barely a whisper. He took her into his arms again.

"I know." He smoothed a piece of hair away from her cheek and kissed her lips softly.

"Next year…next year will be different."

"Promise?"

"I promise."


	2. Christmas Ornaments

**Okay, so I know that it's past Christmas but due to a massive laptop malfunction, illness and general busyness over the Christmas period I sadly have not completed the 5 stories I intended to write for this. This one was already written, and now I have fixed my laptop I can post it. The remaining 3 stories I will still write, and post them around Christmas time this year. Hope you guys still enjoy. Comments are gold.**

 **This is called "Christmas Ornaments" and is inspired by the list that Rufus wrote.**

"No, don't put that over there! Put it over there on the table, and for God's sake be careful with that tree! You're getting needles all over the floor!"

Lily, hearing this, peered downstairs to see her mother in the hallway, large gin in hand, directing deliverymen around the living room like a sort of crazed air traffic controller, shouting at everyone. In order to escape the wrath of her mother, who would inevitably just tell her to get out of the way; she went back into her room and shut the door. She sat back down at her desk, and picked the phone back up, twirling its cord around her fingers.

"That was just CeCe, bossing the delivery men around. Uh-huh. Yeah he'll be here in about twenty minutes, no, I don't think we'll spend Christmas together. Well you know what my mothers like with all the Christmas functions, we have to portray the perfect family, having the perfect Christmas. The perfect fucking family…it doesn't exist in this household" she said, scowling. "Uh-huh" she said, listening to her friend and nodding along as she listened. They spoke for several more minutes before saying goodbye and hanging up. She opened her bedroom door, relieved to hear that CeCe's army general like shouting had stopped. She made her way downstairs to find her mother in the kitchen, fixing herself a drink.

"That didn't take long."

"No, thank God. I hate having people like that trampling through the house." Lily rolled her eyes.

"You hate delivery men?"

"Lily darling, once you have a house of your own you'll understand." Lily watched as her mother poured a generous amount of gin into a tumbler. "Anyway, come and see the decorations." Lily trailed behind her mother as she led her into the living room. "Well, what do you think? Christmas decorations done in just over 15 minutes, new personal record!"

Lily stared at the tall Christmas tree, with its perfectly placed gold and silver baubles, along with tasteful decorations adorning the room. "So darling, what do you think?" Lily tried to muster up an enthusiastic look but failed miserably. She waited until her mother had taken a large sip of gin.

"Yeah, it's nice….it looks like it does every year. You know Mom, in most households they decorate the tree themselves, they put on Christmas music, make an occasion out of it."

CeCe snorted with laughter. "You're telling me, that you think that you and Carol could decorate a tree like that? This tree is perfect!"

"It's not about it being perfect Mom, it's supposed to be fun, you know, families having fun together."

CeCe sighed. "I just don't understand you sometimes Lillian. Life isn't just about having fun, it's about perfection, the way you are perceived, and wealth. Besides, why would you do something yourself when you can simply pay someone to do it! Someday my darling, you'll understand this."

Lily felt like screaming at her mother and her attitude. Luckily the doorbell rang so she could make her excuses. "That'll be Rufus." She didn't wait around to see CeCe's expression of disapproval. She went to the door quickly, eager to see Rufus after that conversation with her mother, who she felt didn't understand her at all. Opening the door, she quickly ushered him in.

"I need to just finish getting ready…..you can wait in my bedroom. She said, hoping to get him away from her mother, so he could forego an awkward conversation with her.

Rufus smiled.

"No kiss, no hello, you want to whisk me away straight upstairs? I take it your mothers here?"

"Hi" she said softly, leaning in for a kiss. "And yes, she is"

Rufus took off his scarf and coat.

"Well, I saw the lights from outside, have you put your Christmas decorations up?"

"Erm, not exactly."

He stood and sniffed the air.

"I can literally smell the Christmas tree, come on, let's have a look!"

Lily gave him a perfectly perfected eye roll.

"They're really not that great, you're like a big kid!"

"Nothing wrong with loving Christmas!"

He stepped past her, kissing her on the cheek as he did so. Lily followed him, hoping that CeCe was too preoccupied with her gin to start insulting Rufus.

"Wow! This is the biggest tree I've ever seen! It looks like it should be in Times Square!" CeCe turned to greet Rufus stiffly, although Lily could tell she was pleased that he had praised the decorations. "This must have taken you hours to decorate!"

CeCe snorted on her gin, and Lily cringed.

"What is it with the two of you and decorating trees, honestly! Rufus, we do not decorate trees ourselves, we have people to do that for us. Although I imagine that in your household you do it yourselves."

"Wow Mom, an insult within ten seconds, guess it really is the day for new personal records!"

"Thank you dear." CeCe said, the sarcasm lost on her. Luckily, Rufus ignored the insult.

"Well Mrs Rhodes, it all looks lovely."

Lily took Rufus' arm.

"We need to get going…we'll be late, and I'm not ready yet." She quickly ushered him upstairs, groaning as she entered her room.

"That was a fast insult, even for CeCe."

Lily sat down at her desk, fiddling with her hair and make up.

"Just ignore her."

"Don't worry, I do." Rufus perched himself on Lily's bed. "So you guys never decorate the tree yourselves?"

"Oh Lillian, why do something yourself when you can simply pay someone to do it!" she said, mimicking her mother.

"Did you tell her it's supposed to be fun?"

"Yeah. She doesn't understand the concept of that though, everything has to be perfect."

Rufus twiddled with the sheets on Lily's bed.

"Yeah, but that's only now though, surely when you were kids you used to do it?"

Lily flicked her hair out, and picked up her make up.

"No. She's always been like that."

Rufus stared at her incredulously.

"So you've never decorated a Christmas tree?!"

"Nope."

"Never ever!?"

Lily completed a perfect eyeliner flick and sighed.

"No Rufus, never ever. We don't have a happy family household."

"Well I know that, but I thought she'd only get like that as you grew up! I would have thought that it was different when you and Carol were kids though?"

"No, perfection has always been CeCe's thing. The only interaction we had with the decorations was posing perfectly in front of them for the annual family photo."

"Lily that's so sad."

"I suppose you don't miss what you never had."

Rufus watched as Lily finished her eye make up, his brow furrowed deep in thought.

"I'm not in the mood for going out anymore Lil, and I forgot….I have an errand to run."

Lily spun around in her chair.

"Are you kidding me?"

Rufus stood up and walked over to her, dropping a kiss on her forehead.

"Yeah, sorry." He checked his watch. "Look, I'll explain, meet me at my apartment in about an hour okay?"

"Rufus what's going on? Is this about my mother?" Lily asked, completely perplexed.

"No, and it's nothing, I just forgot to do something! Honest. So I'll see you in an hour?"

"I suppose so…." Lily said, not feeling completely convinced, as she watched Rufus leave. "I suppose I'll call our friends and try to explain." she looked around to see that he had already gone.

An hour later she turned up at Rufus' apartment, feeling confused, and quite pissed off that he decided to cancel their plans for no reason. As he opened the door she hit him on his arm.

"What the hell are you playing at Humphrey?! You just abandoned me!"

Rufus looked slightly taken aback.

"I didn't abandon you! I left to run an errand! And you were at home!"

"Exactly! You left me in the clutches of the Ice Queen, I was supposed to be having fun right now!"

"And you will" Rufus said gently. He winked at her "Come here Rhodes, I have a surprise for you." He covered up her eyes and led her into the flat.

"Rufus if you are up to something weird, I'm too sober for that."

He chuckled.

"I saw you that time on the Nine Inch Nail's tour bus before we were official remember? I think you are more into weird stuff than me." She swatted him on the arm again.

"You need to erase that from your memory"

"Sadly I can't erase any memories about you."

Lily felt herself soften. He really was one of the good guys. She felt him lead her into his living room, and she smelt a familiar scent.

"Did you sneak in and kidnap our Christmas tree?"

"Ha ha, no, but you're not far off." He uncovered her eyes. "It's not your Christmas tree….but its _our_ Christmas tree."

As Rufus' hand lifted from her eyes see took in the sight before her. A small Christmas tree stood in front of her, and surrounding it she could see several boxes filled with ornaments.

"Oh Rufus" she said softly.

"Everyone needs to decorate a Christmas tree at least once." He said. "I know it's not the mammoth tree you have, and the ornaments are just ones I picked up at Walmart…" Lily shushed him.

"It's perfect Rufus." She reached up to kiss him deeply. "I can't believe you did this."

He blushed.

"Well, it will look a whole lot better once it's decorated."

Lily sat down and started to look through the box.

"Wow, tinsel, fairy lights….all these ornaments! Where do we begin?"

"Well, first… we have a drink….and put some Christmas music on!"

Rufus poured some wine, handing a glass to Lily and put a Christmas record on his player. Lily smiled, drinking her wine and continued to look through the box.

"This is amazing."

"Just like you always pictured it huh?"

"Yes, and it's even better…..because it's with you, and _not_ my family"

For the next hour, they spent their time unravelling fairy lights, tinsel and carefully placing the ornaments on the tree. Lily felt a warmth that she had never felt before, kissing Rufus in between placing ornaments and singing along to the Christmas music. Once it was finished, Rufus carefully handed her a ornament carefully wrapped in tissue paper.

"Now, for the encore" he said. "This angel was my mother's, and I thought you should have the pleasure of putting in on top of the tree."

Lily took the ornament and slowly unwrapped it, careful not to break it.

"Oh Rufus it's beautiful. Are you sure?"

He nodded.

"Yep, this is the final touch."

Lily reached up and put the angel on top of the tree, taking a moment to admire their work.

"Wow" she said softly. "It looks gorgeous. It's better than any pre-decorated tree I've ever seen." She cupped Rufus' face in her hands and kissed him softly. "I can't believe you did all this for me."

"I just wanted you to have this experience Lil. It broke my heart that you've never done this with your family."

She squeezed his hand.

"I don't know what to say."

"The look on your face is all I need." He cleared his throat. "There's just one more thing we need to do."

Lily's eyes widened.

"There's more?"

Rufus put his arms around Lily and guided her to lie under the tree.

"Now, we look at the lights."

Lily lay there, next to Rufus, their hands entwined as she looked up at the sparkly lights that seemed to be all around them. Turning on her side she reached out for him.

"Come here."

Rufus leaned in and kissed her softly as she ran her hands up and down his side.

As they broke apart, Lily said something to Rufus that they had never said before.

"I love you" she said, softly. "No-one else would ever get me a Christmas tree and let me have this experience." She watched as his eyes soften.

"And I would never do this for anyone else. I love you too Lil."

They kissed each other again before cuddling each other, safe in the other's embrace. As Lily looked up into the twinkling Christmas lights and ornaments, with Rufus by her side, she had never felt happier.


End file.
